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By India Today News Desk: A day after China’s defence ministry said the situation at the border is “generally stable”, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar gave a pointed reality check to Beijing. EAM Jaishankar said India’s ties with China are ‘abnormal’ due to violation of border management agreements by the neighbouring country, reported news agency PTI.
“India wants to ensure that its relations with all countries advance without seeking exclusivity. Whether it is the US, Europe, Russia, or Japan, we are trying to ensure that all these ties advance without seeking exclusivity,” S Jaishankar said in Santo Domingo on his first official visit.
“China falls in a somewhat different category because of the boundary dispute and the currently abnormal nature of our ties. That is an outcome of a violation of agreements regarding border management by them,” Jaishankar said.
“India has seen a dramatic expansion in connectivity, contacts, and cooperation across the region. Pakistan, however, remains an exception to this in view of cross-border terrorism,” he said on Friday, while addressing the diplomatic corps and young minds of the diplomatic school of the Dominican Republic.
On Thursday, India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh held a 45-minute meeting with his Chinese counterpart, General Li Shangfu, on the sidelines of the SCO meeting. India warned China there will be no improvement in the overall bilateral relationship till its troops disengage and de-escalate tensions in eastern Ladakh.
ALSO READ | LAC situation ‘generally stable’, take long-term view: Chinese defence minister to Rajnath
A communique released after the meeting read: “The Raksha Mantri categorically conveyed that development of relations between India and China is premised on the prevalence of peace and tranquillity at the borders”.
“He added that all issues at the LAC need to be resolved in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and commitments. He reiterated that violation of existing agreements has eroded the entire basis of bilateral relations and disengagement at the border will logically be followed with de-escalation,” the statement added.
Despite a strong response from India amid border row, the Chinese defence ministry on Friday said both sides should bring their ties back on track by putting the boundary issue in an “appropriate position” and promote its transition to “normalised management”.
China’s defence minister told his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh that “it is hoped that the two sides will work together to continuously enhance mutual trust between the two militaries”.
ALSO READ | Rajnath Singh holds talks with Chinese defence minister, 1st since Galwan clash
India has been slamming China’s deployment of a massive number of troops and its aggressive behaviour along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh in violation of pacts on border management.
The eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong Lake area. Bilateral ties between the two countries hit a new low following the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020.
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